Moist, chewy brownies with a little kick of heat. Make your own cultured coconut “cream cheese” for a tangy frosting or substitute with regular coconut cream for a frosting with a little less zing.
Yields: 1 8x8” pan (about 9 brownies)
¼ c. filtered water
2 oz. (56.7 g) 100% cacao paste/liquor, plus more for garnish
3 T. organic grade B maple syrup (or 1/3 c (35°F). Date Paste)
3 T. blackstrap molasses
¼ c. avocado oil
2 T. virgin coconut oil
¼ c. raw cacao powder
½ t. instant espresso powder
2 pastured eggs
2 pastured egg yolks
1 t. vanilla extract
2 T. ground cinnamon
½ t. ground cayenne pepper
½ t. sea salt
1/3 c (35°F). organic coconut flour
¼ c. mini chocolate chips (or chopped 100% cacao for less sweetness)
“Cream Cheese” Frosting
¼ c. organic coconut butter
2 t. raw honey (or ¼ c. Date Paste)
1 t. vanilla powder
½ c. Cultured Coconut “Cream Cheese”
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F (180°C).
Make the brownies: combine water, cacao paste, maple syrup, molasses, avocado oil, coconut oil, cacao powder, and instant espresso in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat and whisk until smooth.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and sea salt and mix on high to combine. With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in warm chocolate mixture. Move to medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth, scraping down the sides halfway through.
Add coconut flour and beat another 30-60 seconds, or until smooth. Remove the bowl and fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour into a greased 8x8” baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting: in a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine coconut butter, honey, and vanilla powder. Mix on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Add in “cream cheese” and beat on high 60 seconds. Frost cooled brownies and garnish with shaved 100% cacao, as desired.
Note: if making this with Date Paste for a sugar-free dessert, leave out the blackstrap molasses
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Mexican hot chocolate brownies deliver the cinnamon-and-cayenne warmth of the classic drink in a moist, chewy square. Blackstrap molasses and espresso deepen the chocolate while a tangy cultured coconut frosting cools the heat. They bake in one pan and keep beautifully for days.
Pro Tips
- Drizzle the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs slowly with the mixer running - pouring it in fast scrambles the eggs and ruins the fudgy crumb.
- Coconut flour drinks liquid quickly, so beat only 30-60 seconds after adding it and stop; overmixing dries the brownies out.
- Pull the pan when a toothpick comes out clean rather than glossy-wet - these set firm as they cool instead of carrying on cooking.
- Making the date paste version? Leave out the blackstrap molasses - without maple to round it, it turns harsh.
Frequently Asked Questions
How spicy are these brownies?
The half teaspoon of cayenne gives a warm afterglow rather than a burn. Use a quarter teaspoon for sensitive palates.
Can I use a different frosting?
Plain coconut cream works in place of the cultured coconut cream cheese - the frosting just loses some of the tangy zing.
How should I store Mexican hot chocolate brownies?
Frosted, they keep 4-5 days covered in the refrigerator. Let them sit 20 minutes at room temperature before serving so the frosting softens.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F. Make the brownies: combine water, cacao paste, maple syrup, molasses, avocado oil, coconut oil, cacao powder, and instant espresso in a medium saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat and whisk until smooth.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and sea salt and mix on high to combine. With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in warm chocolate mixture. Move to medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth, scraping down the sides halfway through.
- Add coconut flour and beat another 30-60 seconds, or until smooth.
- Remove the bowl and fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour into a greased 8x8” baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting. Make the frosting: in a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine coconut butter, honey, and vanilla powder.
- Mix on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.
- Add in “cream cheese” and beat on high 60 seconds. Frost cooled brownies and garnish with shaved 100% cacao, as desired. Note: if making this with Date Paste for a sugar-free dessert, leave out the blackstrap molasses
